The middle-eastern season of races goes on with the Tour of Oman 2018. The ASO-organized competition takes place for the ninth time and represents a stage on which both climbers and sprinters can test theirselves in view for the next events of the season. Green Mountain climb will presumably be the umpire of the competition as every edition since its introduction has shown. Between the 18 teams invited 9 of those are World Teams, accompanied by 9 Professionals. Last year winner Ben Hermans is not taking part to the event due to his team Israel Cycling Academy non-participation.

Gold Book Tour of Oman 2018

2017 HERMANS Ben
2016 NIBALI Vincenzo
2015 VALLS Rafael
2014 FROOME Chris
2013 FROOME Chris
2012 VELITS Peter
2011 GESINK Robert
2010 CANCELLARA Fabian

Favourites Tour of Oman 2018

Undoubtedly, most highfalutin name at the start of the 2018 Tour of Oman is Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain-Merida). The 2013 and 2016 Giro d’Italia winner has just began his season at Dubai Tour and, due to the flat Emirati’s course, his condition has not been tested yet. Otherwise his teammates Giovanni Visconti and Gorka Izaguirre (Bahrain-Merida) can resurrect the fortunes of the Gulf team if Nibali doesn’t show off his best shape. Astana deploys three aces up its sleeve: Miguel Angel Lopez and Jan Hirt, despite they’ve never raced before in this season, are fearsome competitors and Tanel Kangert can finally test himself after last unlucky season. Nicolas Roche leads BMC Racing, whereas Alberto Rui Costa does the same with UAE Team Emirates. Jesus Herrada (Cofidis) already showed his good condition at the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana and Dimension Data’s duo Merhawi Kudus and Natnael Behrane could be competititive: the former achieved good results in this race over the last years. Stef Cras and Ian Boswell (Katusha-Alpecin), Peter Weening (Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij), Odd Christian Eiking (Wanty-Groupe Gobert), Daniel Navarro (Cofidis) and Kristian Durasek (UAE Team Emirates) are in charge to surprise the favourites.

Mark Cavendish (Dimension Data), Nacer Bouhanni (Cofidis), Alexander Kristoff (UAE Team Emirates), Adam Blythe (Aqua Blue Sport), Magnus Cort Nielsen (Astana), Jempy Drucker (BMC Racing), Edward Theuns and Max Welschleid (Sunweb), Giacomo Nizzolo and Fabio Felline (Trek-Segafredo), Fabio Jakobsen (Quick Step Floors), Wouter Wippert (Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij) and Yannis Yssaad (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA) are the ones who will enlive the sprints.

Course Tour of Oman 2018

The Tour of Oman 2018 course does not shed its skin from the traditional one. The first stage, from Nizwa to Sultan Qaboos University of 162,5km, and the last one, 135 kms-long Al Mouj Muscat – Matrah Corniche, are easily predictable stages for sprinters thanks to the completely flat route. Al Jissah climb carachterises the finale of the seconds hilly stage of the race, whether Wadi Daiqah up-hill is doing the same for the third stage and three-times Jabal Street climb fort the fourth one. Unlike the second and the fourth day of competition, third stage opens up further possibilities to the sprinters to succeed in winning the race. The fifth day of the challenge is the scene in which climbers have to focus their efforts. By the slopes of Jabal al Akhdar climb (5,7 kms, 10,5%) Tour of Oman 2018 lot will be decided.

13 February, Stage 1 : Nizwa > Sultan Qaboos University, 162,5km
14 February, Stage 2 : Sultan Qaboos University > Al Bustan, 167,5km
15 February, Stage 3 : German University of Technology > Wadi Dayqah Dam, 179,5km
16 February, Stage 4 : Yiti (Al Sifah) > Ministry of Tourism, 117,5km
17 February, Stage 5 : Sama’il > Jabal Al Akhdhar (Green Mountain), 152km
18 February, Stage 6 : Al Mouj Muscat > Matrah Corniche, 135,5km

Stage Profiles Tour of Oman 2018

General planimetry

Stage 1 profile

Stage 2 profile

Stage 3 profile

Stage 4 profile

Stage 5 profile

Stage 6 profile